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The best of the British juveniles heading to Royal Ascot according to Racing Post Ratings
Excitement for Royal Ascot is building with the big meeting just two weeks away. Here we take a look at the best of the British juveniles from the Flat season so far and consider their credentials for the leading two-year-old races . . .
Trainer: Karl Burke
Odds: 15-8 Sky Bet (Norfolk Stakes)
Racing Post Rating: 108
Elite Status: has a 2-2 recordCredit: Edward Whitaker
Form
A twice-raced son of Havana Grey, who won on his debut at Doncaster, before powering clear in the final stages of the National Stakes at Sandown to record a five-length victory. A short-priced favourite for the Norfolk Stakes ever since, he has the highest Racing Post Rating of the British juveniles so far this season and looks a top-class sprinter in the making.
What they said
Karl Burke, trainer: “He was a long way from wound up. He’s a very good horse and has the potential to be a superstar sprinter. He does things nice and easy at home. We haven’t forced him at all and he has the scope as well.
“He will improve again and will now go for the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot. We know Wesley Ward will come over with some rockets, but this fellow will stay very well and will love that track.”
Star rating: *****
Trainer: George Boughey
Odds: 5-2 Paddy Power (Coventry Stakes)
Racing Post Rating: 106
Asadna: impressed our Racing Post Ratings team with a wide-margin win on debut at Ripon
Form
Romped home by 12 lengths on his debut at Ripon. The visual impression was backed up by the clock and he currently shares 5-2 favouritism for the Coventry with the Aidan O’Brien-trained River Tiber. It is difficult to weigh up the form however, the second Fifty Grand Slater is the only horse from the race to have run since and he was well beaten at Epsom in the Woodcote Stakes.
What they said
George Boughey, trainer: “He’s a lovely horse with a super mind and he was very well prepared at the breeze-ups. I didn’t expect him to win as well as he did, but we thought he’d run very well.
“He’ll go straight to the Coventry, that’s the obvious race for him, and it’s good to have another nice horse for owner Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah, who is a big supporter of the yard.”
Star rating: ****
Trainer: Charlie Johnston
Odds: 25-1 Paddy Power (Coventry Stakes)
Racing Post Rating: 98
Barnwell Boy cruises to victory at GoodwoodCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
Form
A four-and-a-half-length victory on his debut at Goodwood earned this son of Starspangledbanner an RPR of 98. Barnwell Boy was fast away and soon clear, dominating the race from start to finish.
Royal Scotsman won that same race at Goodwood last season before finishing third in the Coventry, and this two-year-old could follow a similar path.
What they said
Mark Johnston, assistant trainer: “He’s not very big, but he’s pretty sharp and was ready to go. We didn’t know what to expect first-time-out as we didn’t know what we were up against. Oisin Murphy came in and said he’s very fast and that he was quite impressed. With any two-year-old winner at this time of year you always have to be thinking is this a Royal Ascot horse or not. Maybe we’ll be thinking about the Listed Windsor Castle now.”
Star rating ***
Trainer: Alice Haynes
Odds: 16-1 bet365 (Coventry Stakes), 14-1 Paddy Power (Norfolk Stakes)
Racing Post Rating: 97
Maximum Impact: two wins from two startsCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)
Form
This son of Havana Grey is 2-2 after backing up his debut win at Leicester when the starting stalls were not in use, with a two-and-a-quarter-length victory at Ascot.
The form of his Leicester run has been knocked on a few occasions, however he did win by 12 lengths eased down so it may be best to judge him on his Ascot performance.
That Ascot race has been won in past years by some notable horses including in 2021 by Chipotle, who went on to win the Windsor Castle at the royal meeting, while Log Out Island (2015) and Ventura Rebel (2019) both won that race before finishing second in the Norfolk.
What they said
Alice Haynes, trainer: “I’m chuffed with him. He was very professional in the preliminaries, which surprised me, especially when there were no stalls for his very first time at the races.
“I told Kevin [Stott] to get the rail and he didn’t jump off anywhere near it, but he picked up well and was very straightforward.”
Star rating ****
Read more . . .
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